What's Great in Dayton: November 2 - 8, 2012

Dayton’s Community Day of the Dead is part of the First Friday, tonight, 6-10 p.m. The parade, led by Michael Bashaw and students, will line up on Wyandot Ave., behind Hauer Music and Arby’s, at 6 p.m. You are encouraged to participate and all that is needed is some sort of skeleton mask or other Day of the Dead attire. The parade will go down Fifth Street shortly after 6 p.m., arriving at Missing Peace Art Space around 6:30 p.m.

Tonight at the Dayton Art Institute at 7:00pm is the premiere film of Sparkle, a short documentary created by Julia Reichart and Steven Bognar of Sheri “Sparkle” Williams and her dancing. Sparkle gives you a living legend, the career of a dancer dancing long after customarily possible, only to astound every new audience each time.

Neal Gittleman and the Dayton Phil will present Ballroom with a Twist, on Friday, and Saturday, at the Schuster Center. So you can't get your fill of Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, and So You Think You Can Dance then take your obsession with live talent-based reality TV shows to the next level. Ballroom with a Twist brings a frenzy of sizzling dance moves by professional international dancers spanning the hot moves of Samba, Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep, and Jive.

Celebrate the exciting world of birds at Aullwood's Happy Bird Day on Saturday, November 3 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Marie S. Aull Education Center. ADMISSION IS FREE ALL DAY!

The Wright Public Library in Oakwood will welcome local poet David Lee Garrison on Sunday, November 4th at 2 p.m. Mr. Garrison has written several books, including Inside the Sound of Rain and Sweeping the Cemetery. He will be reading and signing his newest book of poetry Playing Bach in the DC Metro.